ABOUT GARY
PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH
Gary is a professor of rural entrepreneurship at Northumbria University and an associate of Newcastle University's Centre for Rural Economy. He has worked on projects across Europe, producing research on digital working, entrepreneurial ecosystems, social innovation and effective approaches to delivering locally-focused policy to support rural development.
Recent projects have focused on coworking spaces, agricultural shows, outdoor businesses, craft breweries and organisations delivering social innovations in rural communities.
He has worked on projects funded by the EU’s Marie Curie, Horizon and Interreg programmes, the UK government (DEFRA and Treasury), Economic and Social Research Council, Innovation & Research Caucus, and various regional and rural policy funders.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Gary's rural credentials go back to his first job as as a paperboy in rural Northamptonshire, helping in the family business. After that, he was a part-time barman in a rural social club so he is rooted in rural community-based businesses. He read Land Economy at Cambridge (in the good old days when University was still affordable) and then spent 3 years in the commercial property industry before studying for a PhD at Newcastle University’s Centre for Rural Economy. After 12 years at the University of Lincoln, he returned to the North east and today he lives in rural Northumberland, with his son Mikey and his wife Katie, who runs a pottery business from their home: https://orchardgrangepottery.com/ Gary also runs a village beer festival alongside his day job at Northumbria University.